Tractor drawn agricultural implement



p 1957 P. A. FLADUNG 2,805,075

TRACTOR DRAWN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 16, 1955' 2 Sheets-Sheet l F/G. Z IVE14VT0R.

I v P404 ,4. FAADU/VG Sept. 3, 1957 P. A. FLADUNG 2,805,075

TRACTOR DRAWN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS TRACTOR DRAWN AGRICULTURAL IM L MENT a A- la uhg el n t n, Cal Application Augustzl6, 1955, SerialiNo. 528,601 .3 shim re ash-ass) hi in ent on r la e t an imp oved agr cul ra imclemen .adsnted t h b e ractor cricd v' y' a a number of workers in diiferentpositions lequiredfor manua pla ng, e ng; t i g, orcu T' -a h .QP erations on a plurality of parallel rows .of plants.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a generally improved device of the character indicated above, which includes worker conveying platforms which can be selectively adjusted to different heights above .the ground surface over which the device is'drawn, and to different angles to the rows of plants being worked.

Still another object of this invention is to provide va device of the type described which is of simple, yet rugged, construction and can be manufactured at low cost.

.Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, forming .the s ecifi ati n and taken i conjun t o w th t a o partying drawings, in which: i

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an implement mbod n th nven icn; wor r pp t g arn sses b in sh w Figure 2js afragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2.2 of Figure 1, and showing an upper rearportion of the frame and adjustable worker platform conveying means and an ssoc at d w rk h rness;

"Bi e .3 i a ve t ca longitudinal sect onal .view ken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure I, and showing br e h e es;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along ine 1+4 o F re 3 n ok ng n t d on o th all s; V

F gure 5 isa h n a eq ohe 'y show n a medified form of ke -su portin platfoma taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure .6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of of a worker harness; and,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of a connection between the forward orti'onier frame side members and a cross bar.

With continued reference to the drawings, the illus trated implement, generally indicated at 10, is adapted for detachable connection to a tractor drawbar 12 (Figure 3).

The implement comprises a pair of horizontal, laterally spaced, longitudinal bars 14 and 16 having on their forward ends forwardly declining and forwardly converging draft bars 22 which are secured at their depressed forward ends, as indicated at 24, to a horizontally extending hitch plate 26 having an opening 28 and adapted for the reception therethrough of a hitch pin to detachably connect the hitch plate to the tractor drawbar 12.

A pair of spaced, parallel, front and rear tubular cross bars 30 and 32 extend across the bars 18 and beyond the th er Part United States Patent 0 Patented Sept. 3, 1957 ice outer sides thereof, as shown in '1, andsecured thereon by b0l ts 34.

' A pair of inverted triangular wheel supporting strutseti and 88 are located between and .are, 'pendingly secured a'titheir upper ends to the crossbars 30 2nd132atthe outer sides of and laterally spaced froin'the .ha'rs 18, each of Ywhichstrhts liucludes front and rear rodsu0 and 42 in downwardly eduv erging relation nd ,a wheel jour- 118L45 i se ured to the j. lower ends" of he roidstlO and A2 and carries -a wheel axle 46 upon whichagrouudvengaging wheel .48 is irotatably mounted with a spacer collar .50 oiiihe axle .46 and 'interposed between thejournal v4.4 and the Wheel hub, as showninrFigured. ,A'guss'eti extends between the rods' 40 andA2at .tlieir'eonv ing ends to impart jrigidity thereto at thispoint ;and 'provide @[Sifihle connection for the -journal'44. 4

"Been of the wheel'struts includes .a horizontally posed .rod .54 extending between the cross .bars 30 32-at1theconnectionof the cross bars withthe convergent rods 40 and 42. i

A plurality of spaced, parallelhorizontal longitudinal rods 56, 58, 60 and 62 extend across the tops of and are secured by bolts 64 to the cross bars 30 .and 32 intermediate theends thereof and in parallel relation to the bars 18 Ihe rods 58 and 62 are secured adjacent opposite ends thereof to the cross bars 30 and 32 and project rearwardly beyond therear cross .bar'82, while the ;rods 56 and 60 project forwardly beyond thefro nt cross bar 30. i A l Fixed on the free ends of the projecting portions of the rods 56, 58, 60, and 62 are vertically disposed tubular sleeves v66. Upper end portions of vertical platform supporting legs 68 are rotatably and .slidably engaged in the sleeves 66. Each of the sleeves 66 is provided with a .set screw 70 whereby the associated leg .68 an be locked in the .sleeve at seleetedheights' and in selected rotated positions. i

' At their lower ends the legs 68 are provided with laterally extending arms 72 upon which are secured horizontally disposed worker platforms' 74, upon each :of which a worker can kneel or{sta,nd during operation of the implement 10. It will be noted that due .to the spacing of the rods 56, 58, 60, and 62, one of theflforward pistforms 74'is located between the draft bars22 and the other forward-platform at the outer side of one'ofth'e draft bars 22. One of the rear platforms 74 is located be; tween the forward platforms" hd the other freer platform ',g draft bat permits workers to operate along; fie

is ,looated laterally outwardly of .the rent 2 T s rows.

Adjacent each of the legs 68 is -& ,dependihg Worker harness, generally indicated at' 7,6, which con nsesa line, which may be in theforin of a chain 18', secured atone end to an eye ,80 of an .eye Ebolt '82 secured to, sleeve .6 r'to'r hw d l br icu f r'e atedphes of the rods 56, 5s; 60, and 62. "At it's other and; each of't'lie lines or chains 78 is provided with a ring 84 to which are secured opposite ends of connected together straps 86 and 88 to form a loop. The inner surface of the bight portion 90 of the loop is preferably provided with a pad 92 of a soft, resilient material.

In use, the harnesses are engaged about the chests of the workers on the platform 74.

In the modified form of the platform, generally indicated at and shown in Figures 5 and 6, there is provided a flat, generally rectangular platform base 102 secured centrally longitudinally upon the laterally extending arm 72 of each of the legs 68. Transversely spaced, longitudinally extending blocks 104, 106 and 108 are secured on the upper surface of the generally horizontally disposed base 102 with the blocks 104 and 108 disposed along opposite longitudinal edges and the block 106 longitudinally along the center of the base. A piece of heavy cloth fabric 110, of generally rectangular shape, is securedalong opposite longitudinal edges to the outer longitudinal sides of theblocks 104 and 108 andextends there over, and issecured by suitable fastener means to the tops oftheblocks 104-a'nd 108. The fabric 110 is so arranged as tojassume concave form in the space between the blocks 104 and106, and in the space between the blocks 106 and 108. 'The fabric may also be secured by suitable'fastening means to the upper surface of the block 106. This providesa comfortable resting support for the knees and lower portions of'the legs of a worker in kneeling position on the platform 100. v

In Figure 8,;there is shown a 'modified form of connection between the bars 18 of the draft means, and each of the cross bars 30 and32 at their points of intersection, comprising rectangular plates 112 secured on the bars 18 at the points of intersection of the cross bars therewith and secured thereto by U-bolts 114 adjacent opposite ends thereof and extending around the bars 18. The cross bars, such as the cross bar 30 is, as shown in Figure 8, placed on top of the plate 112 between the U-bolts 114, and a bolt is passed through the cross bar, the plate 112, and the bar 18, to more securely and rigidly fasten these elements together and lend rigidity to the entire structure. While there is shown and described the preferred em bodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change and modification within the practicability of the invention and therefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an agricultural implement, a horizontal frame having front and rear ends and opposite sides, wheel struts. secured to the opposite sides of said frame and depending therefrom, said struts being located between the front and rear ends of the frame and having lower ends ground engaging wheels mounted on the lower ends of the struts, draft means secured to the frame and projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the frame, front and rear vertical legs having upper ends secured to the front and rear ends, respectively, of the frame, said legs having lower ends, and horizontal platforms on the lower ends of said legs, said frame comprising spaced front and rear cross bars, longitudinal bars extending between and secured to the front and rear cross the front and rear ends of the frame and having lower ends, ground engaging wheels mounted on the lower ends of the struts, draft means secured to the frame and projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the frame, front and rear vertical legs having upper ends secured to the front and rear ends, respectively, of the frame, said legs having lower ends, and horizontal platforms on the lower ends of said legs, said frame comprising spaced front and rear cross bars, longitudinal bars extending between and secured to the front and rear cross bars, said longitudinal bars being laterally spaced from each other, alternate ones of said longitudinal bars having forward ends projecting forwardly from said front cross bar and rearward ends projecting rearwardly beyond said rear cross bar, the front vertical legs being mounted on said forward ends of longitudinal bars and the rear vertical legs being mounted on said rearward ends of longitudinal bars, said draft means comprising laterally spaced longitudinal draftbars extending between and secured to the front and rear cross bars of the frame, said draft bars having forward ends having forwardly declining converging portions having forward ends, and a hitch plate secured to the forward ends of said portions.

3. In an agricultural implement, a horizontal frame having front and rear ends and opposite sides, wheel struts secured to the opposite sides of said frame and depending therefrom, said struts being located between the front and rear ends of the frame and having lower ends, ground engagingvwheels mounted on the lower ends of the struts, draft means secured to the frame and projecting forwardly beyond the front end of the frame, front and rear vertical legs having upper ends secured to the bars, said longitudinal bars being laterally spaced from each other, alternate ones of said longitudinal bars having forward ends projecting forwardly from said front cross bar and rearward ends projecting rearwardly beyond said rear cross bar, the front vertical legs being mounted on said forward ends of longitudinal bars and the rear vertical legs being mounted on said rearward ends of longitudinal bars.

2. In an agricultural implement, a horizontal frame having front and rear ends and opposite sides, wheel struts secured to the opposite sides of said frame and depending therefrom, said struts being located between front and rear ends, respectively, of the frame, said legs having lower ends, and horizontal platforms on the lower ends of said legs, said frame comprising spaced front and rear cross bars, longitudinal bars extending between and secured to the front and rear cross bars, said longitudinal bars being laterally spaced from each other, alternate ones of said longitudinal bars having forward ends projecting forwardly from said front cross bars and rearward ends projecting rearwardly beyond said rear cross bar, the front vertical legs being mounted on said forward ends of longitudinal bars and the rear vertical legs being mounted on said rearward ends of longitudinal bars, and means securing the legs to the frame comprising vertical sleeves fixed on the forward and rearward ends of longitudinal bars with the upper end portions slidably and rotatably engaged through the sleeves, and locking means acting between the sleeves and the upper portions of related legs and locking the legs in selected vertical and rotated positions in the sleeves.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,370,347 Nelson Mar. 1, 1921 2,504,403 Finley Apr. 18, 1950 2,514,249 Madsen July 4, 1950 

